The Different Types of Skin Rashes

Skin Rashes

Skin rash is the term used for one of the several skin abnormalities involving the color or texture which could appear for several reasons.

Different Types of Skin Rashes

Skin rashes can appear in various forms, shapes, types and may or may not spread on different parts of the body. These factors determine how a particular skin condition is recognized and diagnose.

The following are the different types of skin rashes according to its appearance on the skin.

Skin Rash Types As Per Size

Blister or Vesicle

A blister or a vesicle is a restricted skin elevation which fluid filled and occurs within the limits of the epidermis or the outer skin layer. It is characterized by thin walls and a translucent appearance. This type of skin rash does not exceed 1 cm in length. It appears in Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Chickenpox and Shingles.

Bulla

A blister or vesicle larger than 1 cm is called a bulla.

Crust

Crusts are red, brown or yellowish dried layers of fluid containing skin growths such as ruptured fluid-filled lesions or oil glands or even dried blood. Crusts are rough, dried, weak and bumpy and fall off the skin after a few days. Crusts may appear in Impetigo, Shingles and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Lichenification

Lichenification is the hardening of the skin confined to a certain anatomical location. The nomenclature Lichenification refers to lichens on plants. The condition appears in chronic eczema.

Maceration

The condition of the skin resulting in raw and wet tissues is called Maceration.

Macule

A macule is a small discoloration of the skin not larger than 1 cm. Macules appear in

Patch

A patch is a discolored part of the skin with an area larger than 1 inch or 3 cm. Patches appear in Acne Vulgaris, Actinic Kertaoses, Pityriasis Rosea and Tinea Versicolor.

Papule

Papule or a pimple is the elevation of the skin and does not involve the presence of any fluid. A papule should be lower than a centimeter. Papules appear in Acne Vulgaris.

Plaque

A papule which is spread on an area larger than a centimeter is known as a plaque.

Warts

Wart is a solid growth occurring on the epidermis or the outer layer of the skin and its shape has a likeness to the cauliflower. Warts are caused by viral infections.

Skin Rashes as per Skin Thickness

Keloid

An inflamed scar is known as Keloid. It appears red, pink or brown in color. A keloid may be itchy and painful but non-contagious and benign.

Keratosis

This is a type of skin rash that involves the growth of keratin on the skin, which turns the skin hard. Appears in conditions such as Keratosis Pilaris and Actinic Keratoses.

Scar

Scarring occurs when a skin repairs a wound as a part of the healing process. A scar is a patch of connective fibrous skin tissues which replace the skin lost during trauma. Scars are permanent.

Skin Damage

Erosion

The incomplete loss of the outer skin layer tissues or epidermis, which appears as discoloration or a local lesion.

Fissure

A linear crack that only appears in the skin mucosal junction or body openings such as lips and anus.

Wound

A wound is an injury to skin tissues through trauma.

Skin Rashes as per Growth

Abscess (Boil)

An abscess is a pus-filled bulge on the skin that is caused by a bacterial infection. An abscess loses its shape on drainage of the pus.

Bump

A bump is a small elevation on the skin, which may or may not be itchy or painful.

Cysts

A cyst is an inflamed sac of tissues with membrane clearly separated from neighboring skin tissues and is caused by the clogging of oil and sweat glands.

Furuncle

A Furuncle is technically a boil but is much smaller and is caused in particular by a bacterial infection of a hair follicle.

Lump

A skin lump is a skin growth that contains tissue mass or fluid and hangs out with an area of a few centimeters.

Swelling

Swelling occurs as an inflammatory reaction of the enlargement of the underskin tissues to trauma or some other stimuli such as collection of fluid in other internal organs. Swelling is also known as Endema.

Other Skin Rash

Red Rashes

Red Rash is skin scaling, patches or bumps that appear red in color. Red rashes typically appear in conditions such as Angioedema, Eczema, Erythema and Hives.

Comedone

Comedone is commonly known as blackheads when they appear as a black plug or bump on the skin and white head when they appear as white closed bumps on the skin. Both are caused by the clogging of the hair follicle due to the excessive secretion of sebum subcutaneous oil glands and other debris.

Nevus

Nevus is a hyper-pigmentation lesion on the skin, which is benign in nature.